A solemn update

December 13th, 2011

Hi all,

Sam is no longer working on SFZero. He and Ian have formed a company called Situate and are currently working on a new game called Super Going. Ian and Sean are still working on SFZero, and the three of us all continue to work on Journey to the End of the Night together.

We haven't been able to devote as much time as we'd like to SFZero recently, but Sean and Ian are currently working on the next era of SFZero. We'll update you here as soon as we have more plans to share.

Love,
The Daemons

SFZero Returns To SFZero!

September 21st, 2011

SFZero's server died tragically not quite two weeks ago, but at last, here we are again, back online in fancy new virtual housing. More news to come, and plans for us to form together, but for now please just let us know if you find anything that's broken. Thanks!

An Epic Journey to the End of the Night: SF 2009

November 3rd, 2009

Thanks to everyone who came to Journey to the End of the Night in San Francisco this Halloween! Well over 600 players came to play through the streets of the city, and experience six of the best checkpoints a Journey has ever known. Our extra-special thanks go out to the tireless volunteers who set up checkpoints, to our devious initial chasers, our prize artisan Liz, Laura the Golden Lady, everyone who helped us out at the start and finish lines, and to Noisebridge for hosting the finish line celebration!

We're still working on collecting more photos and videos from the evening, but several players have already posted their stories. If you participated, we can't wait to hear your account of the evening!

If you're new to SFZero, here's some help with doing that:

- SFZero is a game where you earn Score for completing Tasks - which are missions you complete in the real world. Completing a mission is Praxis(Genuinely free, self-conscious, authentic activity as opposed to the alienated labour demanded under capitalism.)
- To share your account of Journey to the End of the Night, sign up for the task created for tonight's game. This will take you to your Submit Proof page, where you can write your account, upload photos, etc. If you'd like to submit your story with some friends, only one of you should sign up for the task - that person can add everyone else as a Collaborator from the Submit Proof page.
- Good stories well told, exciting photographs, unique details, examined processes, effective videos, and personal perspectives are just some of things that tend to garner yet more points (in the form of Votes) from your fellow SFZero players. SFZero's tireless programmers haven't finished the Reality Authentication Module yet, so even if our Game Engineers recorded your participation Saturday, your account must be proof; if you submit just one line of text or one internet image, you may find your Praxis flagged and without your well-deserved points.

Journey to the End of the Night Tomorrow in SF!

October 30th, 2009

Journey to the End of the Night Halloween is almost here! We're thrilled with how the event has come together: there will be intriguing checkpoints, ruthless chasers, beautiful hand-made grand prizes, and even great weather! The only remaining ingredient is YOU, so get your costume, water, adrenaline, and subtlety ready to go tomorrow. And you'd better wear comfortable shoes.

Get yourself prepared with some press:

The San Francisco Bay Guardian - "Treating the city as a haunted funhouse, and implementing the good ol' Situationist-inspired urban rearranging tactic of the dérive — in this case, the hyperactive dérive — participants are promised new perspectives of SF's spaces and peoples."

SF Weekly - "it's like a cross between a Situationist-style dérive and the hyperactive travel-sport parkour."

Flavorpill - "If you've ever wanted to live out your film noir fantasy of getting chased through SF's back alleys in a ridiculous get-up, tonight's your chance."

Harry Lee: Digital Open Winner

October 22nd, 2009

Congratulations to Harry Lee for his Sneaky Card game which was selected as one of the winners in the Digital Open. He was featured in a BoingBoing video sharing his project and philosophy.

Harry, for those who don't know, is an all-star SFZero player from Australia.

SFZero: Infiltrating the news

October 12th, 2009

SFZero is featured in a great article on pervasive gaming in SF by Christine Lagorio in this week's Sunday edition of the Chronicle! Our nearly life-size faces are on the cover of the Datebook section, so track down a copy if you'd like to go as Sam this Halloween!

Speaking of which, we're all getting very excited about various runs of Journey to the End of the Night happening over the next couple of weeks. This weekend they'll be rushing from checkpoint to checkpoint in Vienna and Aachen. And on Halloween, MNZero will be running it in Minnesota, and we'll be running in San Francisco! We're thrilled with how well the San Francisco route is coming together; don't forget to RSVP for the SF edition either here or on Facebook!

Journey to the End of the Night, San Francisco, HALLOWEEN

September 20th, 2009

Journey to the End of the Night returns to San Francisco on Halloween! Trick or treat for a stranger's signature while avoiding diabolic chasers and navigating through costumed mobs and wild San Francisco Halloween festivities.

The city spreads out before you. Rushing from point to point, lit by the slow strobe of fluorescent buses and dark streets. Stumbling into situations for a stranger's signature. Fleeing unknown pursuers, breathing hard, admiring the landscape and the multitude of worlds hidden in it.

For one night, drop your relations, your work and leisure activities, and all your usual motives for movement and action, and let yourself be drawn by the attractions of the chase and the encounters you find there.

Journey to the End of the Night is a free street game across the haunted cityscape of San Francisco this Halloween. Players sporting orange ribbons will try to make it through six checkpoints on foot or by public transportation, while avoiding being caught by chasers. Those who survive will be praised and feted at the end. Those who fall will become chasers themselves, rising in undeath to pursue their former friends and allies. It works like a race or derive that keeps breaking out into games of tag or hide and seek.

The game begins on Saturday, October 31st, at 7:00 PM on Steuart St between Market and Mission (across the street from the Ferry Building). No bicycles, no skates, no cars, no taxis. You may only travel on foot or by public transportation. Wear comfortable shoes, and bring water.

Prizes will be awarded for top finishers, best chasers and best costume.

National Neighborhood Day: Sunday, September 20th

September 16th, 2009

About a week ago, we received a very nice note from someone who's been helping out with National Neighborhood Day (September 20th), asking if there was some way for SFZero to participate in this relatively new annual celebration. Creating holidays is always an interesting task, and we think that one based on strengthening local communities is a great idea!

It's also a nice match for SFZero, where tasks have tended to emphasize interaction with neighborhoods as interaction with built environments, rather than as interaction with neighbors. We looked through the archives and selected two player-created tasks to be SFZero's National Neighborhood Day activities: Image Your City and City of Neighborly Love. This Sunday will be a great time to complete one or both of these, but even if you miss National Neighborhood Day itself, go out and meet your neighbors!

Journey to the End of Tonight

June 20th, 2009

Best of luck to everyone running Journey to the End of the Night tonight! If that's you, we can't wait to hear your account of the evening. If you're new to SFZero, here's some help with doing that:

- SFZero is a game where you earn Score for completing Tasks - which are missions you complete in the real world. Completing a mission is Praxis(Genuinely free, self-conscious, authentic activity as opposed to the alienated labour demanded under capitalism.)
- To share your account of Journey to the End of the Night, sign up for the task created for tonight's game. This will take you to your Submit Proof page, where you can write your account, upload photos, etc. If you'd like to submit your story with some friends, only one of you should sign up for the task - that person can add everyone else as a Collaborator from the Submit Proof page.
- Good stories well told, exciting photographs, unique details, examined processes, effective videos, and personal perspectives are just some of things that tend to garner yet more points (in the form of Votes) from your fellow SFZero players. SFZero's tireless programmers haven't finished the Reality Authentication Module yet, so even if tonight's Game Engineers record your participation, your account must be proof; if you submit just one line of text or one internet image, you may find your Praxis flagged and without your well-deserved points.

Finally, a hint: become a part of the city, and less-devious chasers will mistake you for scenery. Good Luck.

Apologies to those with good memories for re-posting same well-wishes from a month ago!P.S. Incorrect task link fixed!